If you’re the lucky owner of a tape deck, then at some point you’re going to need a good engineer in your address book (unless of course you happen to be one!). Similarly, if you’re browsing the marketplace for a vintage or used deck that’s going to need restoring or even a full refurb then, … More Tape deck servicing & refurbs: what makes a good engineer and how to find one
It’s good to see strong coverage of tape decks again in this month’s Editors’ Choice Awards 2025 in the March issue of US audio magazine The Absolute Sound. In 2024 we had six decks featured and this year it’s seven. The six are the same line-up as last year, which I guess isn’t too surprising … More Seven tape decks in The Absolute Sound’s Editors’ Choice Awards 2025
Greg Beron of United Home Audio’s Ultima5 tape player won in 2023 and in 2025 it’s the turn of his $55,000 Ultima Apollo deck. The Absolute Sound’s Jonathan Valin writes that it sounds completely different from any of his earlier Ultima decks, with its entirely new EQ circuit and a beefed-up gain stage. The Awards … More United Home Audio’s Ultima Apollo tape deck wins a Product of the Year Award 2025 from The Absolute Sound
Here’s a brilliant opportunity for anyone in the market for a tape deck. It may be ‘Black Friday’ today but that’s not what this is – the date is pure coincidence and besides I suspect this is a far better deal! Petronel Butuc of The Audiophiles Clinic is selling off a large proportion of his … More Better then Black Friday: The Audiophiles Clinic big tape deck sale!
This just in from the folks at Revox and Horch House over in Germany: “In the last 15 years, Horch House has developed into the world’s leading company within the analog master tape industry. The brand Horch House, headed by Volker Lange, stands for an uncompromising approach towards quality. “Recently, Revox announced the return of … More Revox acquires Horch House
Around this time last year I ran a blog about Revox offering newly-refurbished editions of their classic B77 MkI and MkII tape decks. In the year since then, there have been some even more exciting developments in the pipeline, which have now finally come out and hit the headlines… (In the meantime there was of … More Revox launches brand new B77 MkIII tape deck and Analog Master Tapes Collection
The September issue of US audio magazine The Absolute Sound is out, featuring their annual Golden Ear Awards, in which each member of the editorial / review team selects a handful of their favourite hi-fi separates, whether longstanding references or brand new favourites. Jonathan Valin, who writes frequently about reel-to-reel tape, has included two tape … More Golden Ear Awards for United Home Audio and Analog Audio Design tape decks from The Absolute Sound
The July/August 2024 issue of US audio magazine The Absolute Sound features a four-page review by Jonathan Valin of French company Analog Audio Design’s TP-1000 R2R tape player. Valin admits to having overlooked French high-end audio as a whole for much of his career (I’m not sure why since there’s plenty there to appreciate) but … More “Zut alors!” The Absolute Sound reviews Analog Audio Design’s TP-1000 reel-to-reel tape deck
US audio magazine The Absolute Sound’s annual Editors’ Choice Awards have been published in the March issue, and this year there are 6 tape decks that pick up a ‘gong’. Last year’s awards (5 of them) went to combination of new, vintage and hybrid decks and this year’s selection follows the same pattern (and actually features mostly … More 6 tape decks in The Absolute Sound’s Editors’ Choice Awards 2024
If you follow this blog you’ll have seen some really exciting stuff going down in the world of tape this year. It’s been a bumper (and for me, budget-busting!) year for tape. My bank balance is now groaning at the seams but my tape collection is looking pretty darned awesome! I thought it might be … More Looking back at 2023: a great year for new releases on tape!
Dave Denyer: The Reel-to-Reel Rambler 